Federal court to review white South African's refugee status
By QMI AGENCY
Edmonton Sun.com
Last Updated: 9th January 2010, 4:08am
Canada's Federal Court will review a controversial immigration board case that granted a white South African man refugee status.
Judge Francois Lemieux's decision released yesterday means the Federal Court will review the case of Brandon Huntley, a 31-year-old Ottawa resident, and decide if the case goes back to the Immigration and Refugee Board.
The decision putting Huntley's case before the court on April 7 in Toronto is a victory for the federal government, which appealed the August 2008 refugee board ruling giving the one-time carnival worker refugee status based on the colour of his skin.
The federal immigration ministry argued refugee board tribunal panel chairman William Davis granted Huntley refugee status based on a “jaundiced assessment” of conditions in South Africa.
Davis said Huntley “would stand out like a 'sore thumb' due to his colour in any part of the country” and risked persecution if he returned to South Africa.
Anesh Maistry, the counsellor for political affairs at the South African High Commission in Ottawa, welcomed the court's decision to review Huntley's refugee case.
“We hope justice will prevail in this matter,” said Maistry.
